Tutoring in problem-based learning: a teacher development process

Abstract

Undergraduate medical curricula have become increasingly innovative in order to better prepare their graduates to enter practice, with the most notable innovation being the introduction of problem-based learning (PBL). This paper describes Dalhousie University's transition to PBL, from a teacher development perspective. The paper reinforces the need for a well-designed teacher development process that is carefully implemented and evaluated in order to ensure a successful curriculum change. A seven-stage process for teacher development of tutors at Dalhousie is described, and programme evaluation data are reported from both students' and teachers' points of view. The results from the evaluation are very positive and suggest ways of improving the teacher development process. These improvements are described, as well as future plans in this area.